Decorating garments with flock is a technique that has been practiced for decades and could be considered the first real “special effect” for garment decoration. Flock gained popularity in the 1950s as a way to personalize bowling shirts with a team name emblazoned on the back and an individual bowler’s name located over the pocket.
Since those early years, the popularity of this decoration option has come and gone in the fashion world. Flock provides a 3-D, plush feel with vibrant colors that can’t be duplicated by any other printing method. It has withstood the test of time as a great alternative to standard screen printing and embroidery.
What is flock? It is a versatile material that provides a smooth, velvet-like feel to a printed graphic. Flock fibers most commonly are made from synthetic materials like rayon, nylon or polyester, but also are available in acrylic and polypropylene.